I think it’s safe to say that as a parent, something I try to do often is make the most nutrient-dense foods possible for my kids. We believe in everything in moderation – so I am not strict or forbid any certain foods (well, no caffeine and I try to steer away from fake sugars). I came up with this recipe because I wanted to give my kids a muffin…but add a bit more protein to it. Enter: almond flour! You’ll see here that I am referring to these muffins as “healthier” and that is because they still have sugars (from coconut sugar and honey) and fat (egg and oil) and protein (egg and almond flour) – but I balanced it with a half cup of whole wheat flour and a half cup of unbleached white flour.
I have found that using only almond flour makes the texture a little too dense & crumbly – with the balance of almond flour and regular flour – the result is a muffin that tastes, and I mean this, just like a regular muffin. The texture and taste are nearly identical.
But, I also struggled with wanting to add in whole wheat flour! I don’t love the flavor of all whole wheat muffins — so this combination of 1 cup almond flour, 1/2 cup whole wheat flour, and a 1/2 cup unbleached white flour is the winning combination.
I am very very very confident in this recipe. I have tried a lot of muffin recipes — and am disappointment more often than not. Too dry. Too crumbly. Doesn’t rise. Not flavorful.
THIS IS THE RECIPE! I promise….it’s a keeper.
I tested this the first time making them with paper liners….and the 2nd time using silicone liners. The paper liners stuck…which wasn’t ideal. The 2nd time I made this recipe I used silicone lines and sprayed them slightly with avocado spray – and they popped out perfectly.
So if you also want to add in more nutrient dense food into a muffin, try this recipe. I promise your kids will enjoy them…and you will too!
Let’s talk additions to the muffin batter. Chocolate chunks or chips are my preferred addition – but you can use any of the following:
Dried cranberries
Nuts – walnuts or pecan
Raisins
Chopped up dates
Fresh or frozen blueberries
Fresh or frozen chopped strawberries
The Perfect Healthier Banana Chocolate Muffins (with Almond Flour and Whole Wheat Flour)
Course: DessertDifficulty: Easy12
servings10
minutes20
minutesIngredients
3 ripe bananas
1/4 cup avocado oil
1 egg
1 t. vanilla
1/4 cup honey (or maple syrup)
1/4 cup coconut sugar
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup unbleached white flour
1 cup almond flour
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks / chips
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare cupcake pan and add liners (I like to use silicone liners) and spray them lightly with cooking spray.
- In a medium size bowl, add the peeled bananas and using a hand mixer of whisk – mix the bananas until broken down (this won’t be smooth, that’s normal).
- Add in the following ingredients: oil, egg, vanilla, honey, and coconut sugar. Using the mixer, mix until combined and the coconut sugar dissolves.
- Add in the dry ingredients: whole wheat flour, unbleached white flour, almond flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Mix until just combined.
- Add in the dried cranberries, and using a spatula or spoon, gently stir until combined.
- Using a spoon, evenly distribute the mix into 12 cupcake liners.
- Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. At 20 minutes, insert a toothpick and remove from oven once it comes out clean.
- Allow to cool for for a few minutes and dig in! Enjoy!
Notes
- You can sub regular flour for the gluten free flour. The ratio is the same at 1 cup.
- Spray the silicone liners or paper liners to get the muffins out easily.
- To make the muffins look prettier, add a few chocolate chunks on top before baking.
- The more ripe the bananas, the sweeter the muffins.
